The ancient Israelites grappled with that exact feeling after the Exodus from Egypt. And Midrash Tehillim (a collection of interpretations on the Book of Psalms) delves right into this uncomfortable truth in its commentary on Psalm 44.

The psalm begins, "To the conductor, a wise psalm of the sons of Korah." Now, the sons of Korah have an interesting backstory themselves, but that's another story for another time. Here, they're acting as voices reflecting on the past.

The Midrash immediately points us to Isaiah 63:12: "He led them with the right hand of Moses, etc." The key takeaway? The Israelites didn't earn their freedom. They didn’t have a pile of good deeds stacked up, ready to cash in for redemption. The splitting of the Red Sea wasn't a reward for past merits. It was, plain and simple, to make a name for God. It wasn't about them.

Isaiah 63:14 reinforces this: "As the cattle go down into the valley." The Israelites were led, guided, almost passively shepherded to freedom. Moses himself emphasized that their redemption wasn't about their own righteousness, but so they could share God's glory with future generations, as we find in Psalm 96:1 and 96:3: "Sing unto the Lord a new song," and "Declare His glory among the nations."

So, what's the problem? Why are the sons of Korah so concerned?

They're basically saying to their ancestors, "Okay, you guys did it. You experienced the Exodus. But what about us? What benefit do we get from what happened to our ancestors?" They’re yearning for a personal connection, a direct experience of God's saving power.

They cry out, as we see in Psalm 86:17, "Do a sign with me for good!" It's a plea for a personal miracle, a tangible demonstration of God's favor in their own lives.

The Midrash contrasts this with the actions of the patriarchs. It says, "The patriarchs worked a great deed in the days of Abraham," referencing Genesis 15:10, "And he divided himself against them by night." Abraham's actions were significant, formative. But the sons of Korah seem to be saying, "That was then. What about now?"

The Midrash then highlights the Israelites' actions in the wilderness. But even those deeds, it suggests, were driven by self-interest, by their own desires, rather than a pure devotion to God. It goes on to cite Psalm 47:5: "He chose our heritage for us."

So, what’s the answer? How do we bridge the gap between the experiences of our ancestors and our own spiritual lives? How do we move beyond relying on past glories and forge our own connection with the Divine?

Maybe the answer lies in recognizing that the Exodus wasn't just a one-time event. It's a continuous process. God is always working to redeem us, to free us from whatever binds us. But we have to be open to seeing those signs, to actively participating in our own redemption. We can learn from the past, but we can't live in it. We need to create our own stories, our own moments of connection with God. And maybe, just maybe, that's how we truly honor the legacy of those who came before us.